Generations????

I've got a few stories to relate and then we'll see where we end up.

1...................

This story came to mind when Angel Cabrera won the US Open Golf tournament a few
weeks ago because I was reminded of his countryman, Roberto DiVincenzo, who
played on the PGA tour many years ago when you could probably count the number
of golf courses in South America on both hands - let alone in Argentina. There is a
more famous story about how Roberto lost the Masters Golf Tournament one year
by signing a scorecard that was incorrect. But I want to tell you another story.
I heard this years ago when I was very young and I haven't been able to authenticate
it, but I am pretty sure it is true.

Back in the days when Mr. DiVincenzo was playing on the PGA tour golf was not
the very high profile sport it is now. The crowds were not huge, there were very few
reporters following the tour, very few tournaments were televised and the prize money
was miniscule compared to what it is now (even adjusting for inflation). That being said
many of the golfers were more approachable and accessible to the fans and there
weren't too many places foreign professionals playing the game and almost all of
them were playing on the PGA tour. As far as I know DiVincenzo was the only
South American playing on the tour at that time. He was renown for his
manners and his kindness.

Anyway he placed highly in a tournament one week (he may have even won - I can't
recall). He probably won a couple of thousand (a good chunk of changed back then)
and of course that was in the days before automatic deposits, and before most of the pros
had accountants, financial advisers, and business managers. The guys used to pick
up there checks right there and either cash them or send them into their bank. Well
that week Roberto was walking away from the clubhouse pocketing his check when
he was approached by this youngish woman who told him a story about her young
child who was very ill and would die soon because she could not afford to pay for
his medical care. Without blinking an eye DiVincenzo pulled his prize money
check out of his wallet and endorsed it over to the woman who, with teary eyes,
thanked him profusely and left.

Apparently someone saw this happen and told a reporter who thought it was a
great story. Even though he wasn't sure he would even write the story because
(unlike reporters today) he thought it might be an intrusion on the privacy and
personal life of the golfer thought that he would check out the facts (again unlike
many reporters today). What he found out was that the woman was a phony and
a con artist - there was no sick child. Apparently she had targeted the Argentinian
because as I said earlier, he was well known for his kindness. The reporter talked
with DiVincenzo at an ensuing tournament and related what he had found out.
The man from South America listened and then said, "You mean there was no sick
and dying child? Why that is the best news I have heard in a long time."


2........................

A friend of mine related this story to me. He owns an unaffiliated motel in a small
town in New Mexico. Not that many rooms but clean. Like one of theold "motor
courts" you used to see on state routes in just about any small to medium
sized town. Those of you that have reached a certain age will remember staying in these
places with your folks back when the family vacation consisted of piling everyone in the
station wagon to go to Gatorland in Florida or Mammoth Caves in Kentucky.

But on with the story. It seems that one winter night the manager of the hotel -
an older gentleman - got a call from the owner of a diner just down the road who
had a request. A young couple with a baby had come into the diner and as
he wasn't busy he fell into conversation with them. As I recall the young man
was a fairly new enlistee in the military and he, his wife, and newborn were
traveling to his new post. Unfortunately, not far outside the town their windshield
had acquired a sizable hole caused by a rock thrown by the tire of a truck in
front of them. With the snow and sleet blowing in on them and the baby it was
impossible for them to continue their trip but they also had been planning on
driving through the night since they had barely enough money for gas to get them
to their destination.

So the diner owner was calling to see if there was anything the motel manager
could do to help the young couple out. The manager said to send them on down
and he would put them up for the night - no charge. And while he was waiting for
the couple he called a friend of his at home who happened to own (for want
of a better phrase) an auto junk yard. He related the young couple's plight and
asked his friend if he had a windshield that would fit their car. The man said yes
and told the manager to have the couple leave the car outside the yard that night
and he would make sure the windshield was installed first thing in the morning.
No charge.

So the couple came and got checked in and the manager helped the young man
deliver the car to the yard. Now checkout time at the hotel was 11AM but not
being busy and knowing the circumstances the manager told his staff not to
worry that the couple had not checked out. Finally at 4PM the young wife
showed up at the desk and said that the housekeeper had walked into the room
at 3:30 PM where she and her husband were apparently still asleep in bed.
The manager apologized and said that it being so long past checkout and with
no car parked out front the maid must have assumed they were gone. At this
point the woman got very angry with the manager and said it was the worst
hotel they have ever stayed in and they would never stay in that hotel again and
they were ready to leave so someone needed to give her husband a ride to
pick up their car at the yard.


3.....................

Not long ago when I lived in Fort Walton Beach up in the Florida panhandle
there was a young woman who worked at the convenience store not far from
where I lived. I used to stop in occasionally to pick up my lotto tickets or
some small item. And as is my want I was friendly and conversational.
Now after a while it became obvious that this young woman was pregnant and
so we would chat for a moment or two when it wasn't busy about her upcoming
event. I asked after her with the other clerks and found that she had had a
healthy son. Eventually she came back to work and at times she had her
baby with her and I thought good for her and good for the store for allowing
her to bring her baby with her.

I happened to be in the store on day and someone she knew was there. They
were in the midst of a somewhat heated discussion. The young woman was
complaining about how what she was getting in government assistance wasn't
enough. (Now let me say that I have no problem with people getting assistance
when they really need it - especially if they are working and just need to be
supplemented for a period of time.) The woman's friend replied that at least
she was getting some help and should be thankful to taxpayers for paying
for her assistance. The young woman replied, "The taxpayers aren't paying
for it - the government is."


4................

A few years ago there was a story of a nine year old boy in New York City
who was arrested for robbing and killing the owner of a corner store in his
neighborhood. As the investigation it turned out that the store owner was
kind to all the kids in the area - even to the point of giving them free candy
and treats from time to time when they didn't have any money. Well in the
course of gathering the boy's story they discover that the man had never been
mean to him and, in fact, the boy admitted he liked the store owner. And
when they finally got around to asking him why he had killed the man he
said that he had gone in to rob him and the man wouldn't give him the
money so he had shot him and taken the money. And the reason he
robbed the man? He needed $200 to buy a pair of the latest and
greatest athletic shoes because the other kids were laughing at him and
his year-old sneakers.


So what am I trying to say? Well, it seems that each ensuing generation
has become less aware of the plight of other people around them. Each
new generation seems to be more and more a "me first" generation if not
a "me only" generation. It increasingly appears that many younger
people feel entitled to things just because they are drawing breath,
do not feel the need to say thank you, and are able to justify doing
anything to get what they want (or THINK they need). At this point
this is just an observation. I believe there are many reasons for the
development of this attitude but those are for another day. And if my
fingers weren't cramping up I could type many more examples of
what I am talking about.


Still.......................

I stared writing this yesterday and I suppose I was feeling somewhat cynical
(but not without reason I might add) and so I got a gift. Last night I was
watching a rerun of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I had seen it when
it originally aired but the kids drew me in. Four children who were living
with their Grandmother because their Mom went over the edge from drugs
and other personal problems. Age range five years to ten years. The
Grandmother worked at the school the children attended and they all
lived in a dilapidated trailer. So it was great that ABC showed up to
build them a new house but that wasn't the gift I got. They send the
families on vacation for a week while they build them a home so when
Ty asked them if they had ever been on vacation they all said "no" and
when he asked them if they wanted to go on vacation they all said in a
loud, unified voice, "Yes SIR". These kids were living without their Mother
and in pretty tough circumstances but they were grateful and respectful.
So that was my gift - that even if it seems the scale has tipped quite a
way in the wrong direction maybe there is some hope....still.

Somewhat indelicate - so what?

Well, I don't know about this blogging thing but thought I would give it a shot. Believe me, it's not that I have anything important to say, but hey, there are a ton of other people out here just as vacuous as I am talking about trivial stuff so why not me? Really though, should call if "P"logging (the Polish version).

Now as for the name of my blog "From the Outside". I am a career outsider, and my view is almost always diametrically opposed to most of those I talk with and if not opposed at least somewhat skewed. So that's me on the outside looking in. Absolutely where I should be because I believe wholeheartedly in the words of one of the most insightful philosophers of all time, Groucho Marx, who said, "I have no desire to belong to a club which would have me as a member."

So as I contemplate starting here I think that you should know that if you gain any insight into me as a person by reading what I write here it is purely an accident - or possibly deliberate misdirection. So the only question now is what to write about first............................


Ah here it is ....... Colonoscopy. Not that I want to be the butt of anyone's jokes (geez, I've started already haven't I?) however it is something that had been on my mind for quite some time (and some would say that is where my mind is actually located). I know that we are constantly bombarded with warnings and admonitions that upon reaching a certain age we should have the procedure done. Of course they say that if you have a family history of colon cancer then that target age should be lowered by a few years. I guess what finally got me off the "pot" (sorry) was learning that Joel Siegal - the ABC movie critic - had finally lost his battle with colon cancer. I had heard him say some time ago that he had waited until age fifty-three before he had the procedure and when he finally asked his doctor what the outcome would have been if he had not waited the reply had been "you probably never would have gotten cancer at all". Coupled with the fact that my Mother was diagnosed with colon cancer at age seventy-seven (she was lucky they caught it early and she is fine) I thought it was time. And even though my insurance won't cover all the cost I thought it was a good investment.

So ever since the "push" to get everyone to have this done prophylatically these gastroenterologists are pretty busy folks. It took six weeks just to get an initial appointment (actually the Doc was on vacation in Italy for two of those weeks - gotta spend all that money somehow) and when I got there - late in the afternoon- the waiting room was packed. The whole appointment was mostly information on the preparation for the procedure and only saw El Doctor for a few minutes. But I did pick up one piece of interesting information during the course of our discussion - that family history is only an additional risk factor if a family member was diagnosed with colon cancer under the age of fifty-eight. Good thing to know.

Anyway he informed one of his assistants that I could schedule at my convenience and so two days before my birthday in September I will be having the procedure done. And even though I am succumbing to the fear factor and having it done I have a theory ( watch out - black helicopters on the horizon).

It seems to me that all these gastroenterologists didn't just spring up out of nowhere. It is my personal belief that the whole "scare tactic" thing used to get people in for these procedures could be just a hoax. It seems to me that the UFO sightings have been fewer and fewer over the past ten to fifteen years - just about coinciding with the "colonoscopy craze". I think the aliens have finally acquired some smarts. Why go around abducting people when you can get them to come into an office and PAY you to do ANAL PROBING. In fact I think the government is fully aware of this and has an agency to police these people. Their agents are called "Men in Back". And do you really think it is a coincidence that they call their agents something most people would mistake for the title of a porno movie? No, no, no - not by a long shot. Something to think about, eh?

Now the name of my blog is "From the Outside" but I can guarantee you on September 19th it will most definitely be "on the inside".

And finally in the best tradition of TV showing Preparation-H commercials during dinnertime I have included below my very own recipe for Shrimp Creole. You should give it a try - it's pretty tasty and quick and if you can find a bottle of Pepperwood Grove Viognier (inexpensive but good) it would go very well with this dish.

Hasta la vista mi amigos.

Not Your Traditional Shrimp Creole

I love Cajun and Creole cooking. But in Louisiana they do the shrimp creole with a roux. I'm
not a big fan. I like the flavors fresher and cleaner. This is my take. I hope you like it. Very
quick and simple. This recipe serves four so adjust as necessary

2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups diced celery
3 cups diced tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can chicken stock (low sodium is great)
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 large cloves garlic (sliced thinly)
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp good hot sauce (Louisiana, Crystal, or Tobasco)
1 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 pound medium shrimp

4 cups cooked white rice

Dice all vegetables in approximately 1/2 inch dice and thinly slice garlic. Place large pan over
medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes until it comes to heat. Put oil in pan and after 10 seconds
(oil will start to shimmer) throw in all vegetables except for garlic and tomatoes. Stir continually
for about 2 minutes until onions soften and begin to turn translucent. Add chicken stock, white
wine, garlic, pepper, hot sauce, and oregano. Reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
While the dish is simmering cook your white rice. At the end of the 15 minutes add tomatoes.
Simmer another 10 minutes uncovered on high to reduce sauce. Prepare shrimp by removing
shell cutting completely through down back and rinsing under cold water to remove sand vein.
At the end of the ten minutes add shrimp and cook for three minutes or until shrimp are pink
and no longer translucent.

To serve use a ramekin or 1 cup measure and pack rice in firmly. Tap container down in the
middle of the plate and remove container leaving molded rice in the middle of plate. Place
Shrimp Creole around the rice. If there is any liquid left over drizzle on rice mounds.

Okay - now for the variations. If making the shrimp dish and you have seafood stock you can use that instead of chicken stock. If you want to go vegetarian use vegatarian stock instead and make an additional cup of vegetables in whatever combination you choose. If you don't have shrimp available you can cut up two boneless chicken breasts in 1/2 inch cubes an add at the same time you add the tomatoes.

Good luck and bon appetit.